Worm of Doubt
by ThomE.Gemcity-06
Summary: The events that take place after Will's addiction to the Warmweed. Major character Death!
1. Chapter 1

a/n: I just finished reading the RANGER'S APPRENTICE series and boy was I hooked! I mean, all of the exhalent descriptive battle scenes. I know that it's full of monsters and in the fifth book Sorcery. I wanted to do something that would effect Will personally and of course Halt would be there too. I have no idea if I could make this long or even mildly as good and I will probably screw up the everyone s character - so sorry before hand if that's what you see. This is going to take place when Will is still Halt's apprentice.

The Worm of Doubt

1

Will pressed his heals into Tug's side; urging the horse to go a little faster. Before Will could take another breath, Tug, heeding his master s request, did just that. The terrain was thick with lush green grass, but under that the surface was far from smooth. It was rocky, with sudden dips and hills. But as Will sat in the saddle, the ride was smoother then any other horse would have made it - A Ranger's horse was specifically trained to be able to run smoothly and steadily in a terrain; the reason for this was because the Ranger need them to be steady in order to be able to get a clean shot off.

That was the exercise Will and Tug were doing; practice hitting target while Tug did a full on gallop. For Will, it was harder then having Tug stand still, a trot and even a canter. Though the ride was relatively smooth, Will noted, there was still the occasional lurch and jerk as Tug miss stepped. Will didn't blame the horse; if it was the other way around, Will would have been on his face a while ago.

"Ready," Will said to Tug as he took a deep breath, the small horse flicked his ears in acknowledgement. Slowly and with tense muscles of nerves, Will started to stand up in the stirrup, his thighs muscles tightening as he stood fully erect. He gripped his bow tightly as he notched a arrow ready, though he didn't draw yet. He would draw at the last second; there was no need to use un-necessary energy. His sharp brown eyes moved stealthily across the open wooded area, searching for any targets he knew were soon to come in sight.

Will knew that he had to get this right, that Halt would be watching him. This was a very important skill to have as a Ranger; if ever he was pursude by the enemy, Will would have to be able to pick them off while Tug keep a good distance between then.

The first target came in sight and Will drew back the string, the feather at the end of the arrow touched the corner of his mouth before he released it. The black shafted arrow could barely be seen as it flew through the are, but Will saw it as it missed the intended target and buried it's self two trees over. Will cursed, more loudly then he tended to. With the sudden venomnence in his master's voice, Tug froze, his muscles tenses. It may have been for less than a millisecond, but it was enough to screw up his gallop. Tug faltered, he misjudged his step; one leg went in a dip while the other landed on a hill. His legs twisted and tangled as he toppled to the ground with a very surprised neigh.

Will didn't stand a chance. He had no idea the effect he had on Tug and even when it did happen, he had no idea what had caused it. Because he was still standing when Tug toppled so suddenly, he flew into the air. His Ranger training should have kicked in and he should have rolled into a crouch, but instead Will flailed in the few precious seconds he was in the air. The arrows spilled from his quiver and he landed awkwardly on the longbow in which he still held. He heard a distinct snap followed by a crack, he knew one was his bow and by the pain he knew the other belonged to his arm. From the propel of the throw, he rolled a few feet on the grass covered rock bed and crashed into a thick tree trunk. His right shoulder popped painfully from his shoulder and he felt the tender skin of his cheek scrape against the rough bark.

Tears streamed down his face as he lay still, trying not to move an inch though that become hard when his breath started to hitch. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, he though he knew that he had to check on Tug. Will had never been hurt this badly before; not against the Wargal's, or the war with Morgorath, or when he was on (((Wolfwind))) with Erak or a slave in Skandia, not even in the was against the Temujai. In all of the action he had seen in the past years had he ever been hurt as mush as he had in this very moment.

There was a scuffling in the grass as Tug made his way over to his injured master, by the looks of him he wasn't injured and as Will twisted his head painfully to the side, noted that it was a good thing. A small whimpered escaped Will's lipps as Tug nudged him with his nose, but he backed away with a stressed neigh. Will ground his teeth together in order to stop the sob that wanted to escape.

Taking a shallow breath in order to move as less as he could, Will locked his brown hues with those of Tug's. "Tug," he said slowly making sure the horse paid attention. "Go . . . Get . . . Halt." he commanded. But the Ranger horse just snorted and dance on the spot; refusing to leave his injured master.

Will ground his teeth in frustration, if Tug wouldn't go and get Halt, than he was just going to have to do it himself. He knew that there was no way that he would be able shout loud enough for the Ranger to here, not with the space that he and Tug ate up when they were practicing. And he knew that Halt would have been there by now if he had seen the events that had taken place.

Painfully so, Will sat up, which in it's self was very difficult; having one broken arm and the other with a dislocated shoulder. Will kneeled, panting like crazy; just that amount of movement took allot of energy. His long bow was broken and it's string was snapped, his arrows were scattered and bent, his quiver was still strapped to his back and his unique Rangers cloak was dirty and tangled. He knew that Halt would be very angry, and disappointed. Will's heart sunk as he painfully stood up, both his arms useless; it was always his worst fear when Halt was disappointed in him, thought him just a nuisance and a mistake that he had taken Will as an apprentice.

He had always been self-conscious of his every move ever since he was free from the warmweed; thinking through every single move, no matter how insignificant it may seem through at least 10 times, how that single action would effect everything around him. The only reason he could come up with as to why the warmweed could take a hold of his mind and body so easily was that he was weak. He couldn't disappoint Halt like that ever again so he waited for Tug to lay on the ground before he sat in the saddle and put his feet in the stirrups. When Will kicked his heals into Tug's ribs, the horse stood and started a slow trot to where Halt would be situated.

Will bit his lips the whole way, to keep from screaming out. His couldn't move his right arm and the pinched nerves in his left made it impossible to move it either. But the time the cabin was in site, Will's clothes were soaked in sweat and his skin had lost all his color. With every step that Tug had taken, Will would bounce ever so slight but that was enough to shoot shots of pain up and down both of his arms. it felt like he was still moving even though Tug had stopped; his head was light and he felt slightly nauseous. He couldn't move and he couldn't speak as he just stared; the only thing that he was glad of at the moment was that the tears had stopped some time back - now Halt wouldn't think him a coward for cry like a baby.

Halt looked up from the porch where he was sharpening his saxe knife when Abelard neighed in warning of a new arrival. He saw Tug and Will sitting slack in the saddle, he couldn't make out any details at this distance but his brow drew together as replaced the saxe back in his belt and walked closer to the apprentice. Halt glance at the sky and noted that noon was still hours away; he wasn't expecting Will until them. But as he drew closer to the boy he noted the missing bow and empty quiver, dirty cape and the way both of his arms were slack and his hands free of the reins. But what made the anger's stomach feel hallow was the apprentices pale skin, and the way his half lidded brown eyes stared at him with a blankness that made the Ranger want to shake him.

Halt took a deep calming breath as he stopped in front of Tug, who let out a worried snort of breath. Halt patted the Ranger horse on the reassuringly before he trained his eyes on the small boy.

"Will," Halt said in a soft tone as if his apprentice were a frightened animal.

At the sound of his, Will blinked and his brown eyes cleared. And that was when they filled with pain. Because once they had drawn near the cabin, Will had gone numb, the only thing that kept him from falling out of the saddle was the fact that his leg muscled had locked. It had been like a dream as he watched Halt's slow approach, but when the full fledged Ranger said his name, it was like a slap to the face. He could feel everything now; his broken arm, dislocated shoulder, the bruises he knew that marred his body, even the shallow scrape on his face. Will's brain just couldn't take the pain. His eye lids fluttered before his eyes rolled into his head.

Halt watched as his body went slack and jerked forward as the apprentice slumped in the saddle a careened sideways. Halt gently set the boy on the ground and now that the Ranger was this close, he could see the scrape on Will's cheek, the swollenness of his shoulder and the awkward angel of his arm.

In that instant Halt knew that he had to get Will to Redmont and pronto.

note: I know pronto is a little weird for Halt, but I thought it suited the situation. I know that I did major Will whumpage, but it will tie in with the rest of the story . . . I think. Please review!  
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	2. Chapter 2

2

His head was fuzzy and his body was light, he tried to remember how he had gotten here, wherever here was. But discarded the idea quickly because he felt just too good to ruin the moment. He could feel a presence beside but when he tried to make out who it was, it took to much energy and his vision was slightly blurry anyway. He felt it bubble up in his chest and he had no idea why, but he didn't try to stop it as bubbles of laughed was peeled from his throat. His eyes watered and his whole body shook.

"What's so funny?" Halt cocked an eyebrow.

Will sobered instantly. His vision cleared and he didn't fell so light anymore, because at the sound of his mentors voice, the event that had taken place played in his head like a slide show. And now that he remembered, he felt the pain. His right arms was held against his chest in a sling and his left arm was splinted and wrapped tightly with bandage. He knew that it would also be put into a sling once he was around moving again. He sighed in a depressed manner and sunk into the cot.

"Nothing," he said his tone neutral.

Halt let a look of concern cross his face, before his natural sour look. He had no idea how this had happened and he there was no way that he would be able to get any information from Tug, as smart as Ranger horses were. No, he had to get all information from the only reliable witness to the event, and that was Will.

"Will, what happened?" Halt asked, his brows furrowed as he watched the apprentice carefully.

Will looked ahead, not meeting his mentors eyes. There was no way that he could tell Halt the truth, the truth of how incapable he really was. The only reason why Halt hadn't thrown him on his butt was because after he and Princess were saved from the Temujai, they never told Halt and Horace of the warmweed. Halt never found out how weak he really was.

"I don't remember," Will said finally.

Hallt knew that Will was lying though he didn't comment further.

Will had been released the castle infirmary and much to the Ranger apprentice's embarrassment, was seated in front of Halt as they rode Abelard - slowly - back to there cabin. The ride was silent; neither willing to break that thin silence. If Will was eating himself from the inside out, his resolve about life and worthiness of being a Ranger slowly dissolving; this treatment of Halt's was only speeding up that slow process. Treaty him as a child by having him ride up front - true, with both of his arms in slings it wouldn't be possible for him to hold on to anything, but he knew that with enough energy and with very little dignity that he had left, that he could wrap his arms around Halt's waist. But instead he was at the front of the saddle, Halt's arms around his waist as he held the reins to Abelard.

The sky was darkening as the sun starting to set; the sky turned a beautiful array of soft colors; yellows, oranges, pinks and purples. It was the total opposite of what Will was feeling in that moment - though unbeknownst to all those around him. With the muffled clop of Abelard's hooves and the rhythmic movement as he walk, plus with the remaining drugs in his system, Will's eyes slid shut.

Halt froze for a second as Will's head fell back against his chest, before he relaxed as he heard a soft snore emit from the young apprentice. Halt left him be as they still had a ways to go; he knew that the boy would need plenty of rest after the days events - though what had transpired was still unknown to him. Halt let his mind wander a silence washed over him; he knew that Abelard would warn him if anything transpired. Halt had come up with many theories as to how these injuries could have occurred most he though were unlikely.

The exercise that he had left Will to practice was a very important one fro a Ranger. If, by chance, a Ranger were in enemy territory and were, by chance sighted and didn't have enough time to take out all enemy pursuers where he stood, would gallop away on his horse and if pursued further would have to learn the technique of how to shoot kill shoots from a moving horse. It sounds and looks easier then it really is. Being an excellent marksmen as Ranger's were took allot of time and effort to just overcome the small obstacle, such as hitting a moving target with deadly accuracy while you were at a stationary position unseen. Now imagine hitting a target with deathly accuracy while you were on a galloping horse, bouncing erratically around, while your enemy was also on galloping horses bouncing every which way, weapons pointed in your direction.

Halt had shown let will practice first from a canter and then a trot, gradually speeding up into a gallop. He had left Will on his own, thinking that it would be easier on the apprentice if he weren't being watch by the critical eye of his mentor. That had been a mistake of the grizzled ranger's part. The one time that he hadn't been in the shadows observing unseen, this incident took place.

While Tug was in a gallop and Will was aiming, a bandit of some kind could have knocked him off of Tug. Seeing him as a Ranger and a free horse, he continued to beet Will - which resulted in the dislocated shoulder and broken arm, bruises and scrapes. And that could have been the reason why Will wasn't saying a thing, because he was embarrassed at not having kept an eye on his surroundings as well as on his task. But Halt thought that a bandit in Redmont was unlikely and he knew that Will would feel obliged to say so if there was in spite of embarrassment. Or it could have been something as simple as a animal scurrying out in front of Tug's galloping path. And, with the surprise of it had tried to avoid the animal, which would result in a horrible fall on Will's part because he was in a shooting position.

Halt jerked from his thoughts as Abelard neighed to let his master know that they had arrived back home. He sighed as he lightly shook Will awake, making sure the boy was awake enough that he could support himself as Halt got down from the saddle. Will, still ridden with sleep didn't even complain or even notice as Halt wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him from Abelard's saddle and placed him on the ground. The second Halt let go, Will started to sag, Halt sighed in slight exasperation as he had to basically carry Will to bed.

He laid Will in his bed as gently as he could, careful not to jar either of his injured arms. He tucked the blanket around his apprentice and before the boy could fall back asleep, put a few droplets of pain killers on the under side of his tongue - that should be more then enough until he awoke in the morning. Before he left to tend to Abelard he maid sure to set a glass of water better the bedside incase Will should be thrusting if he roused in the middle of the night.

The morning held nothing but contempt for Will. His head beat in tune with his heart and his muscles felt stiff and tight. He ground as he struggled to sit up. He looked around his room in confusion; having no memory of getting here, in fact, he could barely even remember the ride on Abelard. All he could remember was blissful darkness, where he was nothing and everything was nothing, nothing mattered because everything was nothing and that meant that he was perfect.

He ran his tongue over the roof of his mouth which was now dry and full of cotton. He glimpsed the glace of water and contemplated how he was to drink it. His broken arm would be in a sling for at least a week until he would be able to handle the weight of his casting and his bones had healed enough to handle a some what free movement. As would the shoulder he had dislocated, until the swelling went down and he could actually move it. And the very ironic thing was that he may not be able to use his dislocated arm but his hand worked perfectly fine, and he could move his broken arm but there was no way that he would be able to grip anything.

He was about to call Halt and ask fro assistance much to his dismay, but that was before he spotted the small wooden tube on the table beside the glass and sighed in relief. Bending his knees he gripped the tube before he rose to full height and dropped it in the glass. The water was warm and distasteful, but Will drank the whole glass without a breather. He stood erect, slightly out of breath. He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the slight stab of a full bladder ready fro release.

Thing were defiantly going to get very interesting - and not in the good way in Will's opinion.

It had been at least a week and a half since he had gotten home from Redmont castle and he had finally gotten rid of the restraining sling to his right arm. Now he could do thing without feeling as if Halt were babying him and now the older Ranger didn't have to always be within shouting distance. Now he could feed himself, go to the bathroom alone, change by himself, and bathe without company. It was almost as if he were free of one of the two ball and chains. He could have taken the sling from his broken arm away, but he found it was easier when it was contained. And now that he didn't feel as restricted any more, he started to do this as he normally did; it was harder with just the one hand, but he still finished his task before the sun set.

It was late afternoon and the day was warm; it was early spring and the flowers were just starting to bloom and the birds chirp their songs. Will was outside in just his breeches as he worked up a sweet in the sun light as he brushed Tug thoroughly. Will turned and set the brush down but before he could do anything else, he felt Tug's nose in his hair. Will turned and gave his friend a soft smile before he wrapped his arms around Tug's neck before he buried his in the hair there.

"I know boy," he whispered. "This wasn't your fault, I've just never felt the same after the warmweed." he gave Tug a squeeze. "Don't worry, we'll be able to ride in no time." Will reassured the shaggy horse with a reassuring pat.

Will led the horse back to the stables and gave him a bright red apple after he looked around to make sure Halt wasn't anywhere in sight; but just because Will couldn't see the older Ranger didn t mean he wasn t watching - Will didn't know if he found that reassuring or if it just made him feel even more worthless then before. He sighed sadly and scrubbed his face with his hands; maybe he wasn't really cut out to be Ranger and should have just excepted his fait ti working on a farm for the rest of his worthless life. Maybe he and Tug should just run away, from Redmont and from Halt, live in the wood or find work in some other town.

He would miss Halt for sure; the man did give him hope that he could be something special. And Horace his former wardmate and present best friend, who had saved him more times then Will could count. Alyss, another former wardmate, his sort of girlfriend; they had kissed and touched. Also Gilan, Halt's former apprentice before Will, they became instant friends when they met at the Ranger camp grounds.

Will gave Tug one more pat before he turned and took off at a jog towards the path in the wood surrounding the cabin. It didn't matter that he was only in his breeches and had no shoes, because he need to be fit if he was going to pull this off. Sure, he was running but he would do anything to get away from the disapproving stares he was so sure halt was sending him. And he knew that he had been such a burden not only in past two weeks but the whole time he had been with Halt. All of his none stop questions and doing things without Halt's go ahead.

Will was a announce and a burden, a disappointment, a waste of space that wasn't wanted since the day he was borne. It was getting to be too much and he couldn't take it any longer.

note: I hoped you liked this chapter and as you may have notice, there have been spoiler for some of the book; at least books 1 to 4. Please review!  
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	3. Chapter 3

3

It was time for the cast to come off, the very thought set Will's blood rushing. He had expected Halt to come along which was a reasonable assumption but the grizzled Ranger said that he had an errand to run. Will was A-okay with that, because now he could defiantly put his plan into action.

He waited at least half an hour after Halt left before he quickly packed all the essentials that he would need for and on his escape. He did take his long bow and kept the black shafted arrows along with the throwing knife and saxe and there was no way he was going to leave the cloak. He saddled Tug nice and tight and put everything in the satchels. But before he left he went back into the cabin and into Halt's room. Will sat on his soon to be former mentor s bed and sighed. Slowly and reluctantly, Will pulled the brass oak leaf off from around his head; it was what symbolized him as a Ranger, what made him a part of the tight knit group that everyone avoided - but he fit in perfectly. Now, as he held the necklace tightly in his hand, he felt naked and vulnerable.

He gave it one last long look before he pressed the cool metal to his lips before he stuffed it under Halt's pillow. He knew, not that far from the surface that this was the ultimate betrayal, the ultimate tarnish to the Ranger's and he knew that it would more then likely ruin Halt. When he had chosen to became a Ranger, he had taken an oath to the King, and by running like he was going to, he would basically become a traitor to the Kingdom and would have a target on his back for the rest of his life.

So maybe running wasn't the best option, maybe if he just told Halt straight out about how he was feeling, then maybe all of this self doubt that was flooding his system would just leak away. And just below the surface he knew that none of his friends had doubted him, ever. But ever since the warmweed had taken control of his mind, he didn't feel as confident in himself as he once had. No one had noticed, well only Princess Cassandra and Erak had seen him while he was in his drug induced state. But even then they had no idea how it truly felt to have everything you've ever know be ripped away from you by the harmless looking herb you'd have ever seen in your life.

Will left the medallion under Halt's pillow though, just incase he did decide it was better to become a traitor and be hunted down, killed or taken prisoner. Maybe he could even go back to Skandia, he knew that Erak would take him in. But then again, that would bring back the warmweed issue.

Will sighed in frustration as he mounted Tug and took off at a canter towards Redmont castle.

Halt couldn't help but let a big grin cross his face as he held the silver oak leaf in his hand. It was tradition for the mentor to give the silver oak leaf to his apprentice and that was the errand that Halt had to do. He had left early in the morning to go meet Crowley and get the silver oak leaf that he would give to Will, making him a full fledged Ranger instead of just an apprentice. He had seen the way Will had acted over the last month and it had worried him greatly.

And the grizzled Ranger knew that he had babied the teen, always being in shouting distance and it didn't feel right to leave the younger man alone either. Halt had known from the very start that what ever had happened in the woods had affected the boys mind and not in the good way. But Halt thought for sure that the silver oak leaf would cheer Will right up; and he did deserve it. Helping with the Kalkara's, burning the bridge in the war with Morgarath and the war with the Temujai. With out Will, Araluen would have fallen for sure.

Halt smiled again as he sat heavily on his bed; he wait until Will came back from the castle with his cast off and present him with the silver oak leaf. Halt could just see the smile that would light up hi solemn face and all of the question that would pour out. Halt couldn't believe that he was starting to miss those millions of questions that Will seemed to ask on a daily bases.

Halt was about to get up when something gleaming shone from under his pillow. He raise a curious eye brow and reached under the pillow; not remembering ever sticking something under it. It felt as if the world had just frozen over as he pulled the cold bronze medallion oak leaf from under the pillow. He had to be imagining things, right? Because there was no way Will would take this off, but as he turned it over and say Will's named carved into the back, it felt as if his heart just snapped. Because if he thought that this meant what it really meant then Will would be classified as a traitor to King Duncan.

He had to find Will and now!

He unconsciously ran his fingers through Tug's fur as he took one last look Redmont castle, or was it his last look? He still wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, leave the place he had grown up in that had all of his friends or leave and be branded a traitor for the rest of his life? Will put his foot in the stirrup and started to heave himself into Tug's saddle.

"Will?" a familiar voice said in surprise.

Will dropped back to the ground in surprise, thanking God it wasn't Halt. "Horace," he said in return as he turned to his friend.

He hadn't seen Horace in what seemed like ages; ever since he former wardmate got knighted by the King to be in his official court, but even before that they barely got to see one another unless it was on business.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked, feeling as if he was caught.

Horace raised an eyebrow. "I think I should be asking you that,"

Will silently cursed himself, he should have thought that through; of course Horace would be at the castle, he was a knight after all. "Right," Will scratched the back of his head. "I had to get a cast taken off."

"What? Are you okay?" Horace asked worried.

Will waved it off, "It was like a month ago." he tried to reassure.

"Jeez, we so haven't seen each other in a long time especially since I didn't even know that you broke something." Horace shook his head. "But maybe we should break some bones more often, if that s the only way we get to see each other." a grin split his face and he slapped a hand on Will's shoulder.

Will searched his face for a second, but he saw nothing there but friendly humor; there was scorn or doubt about his ability. And he smiled back because Horace would never life felt it wrong to break oaths and that was sort of what there friendship was, an oath. And he knew, looking at Horace now, that the decision was made. There was no way that he would be able to leave this behind. Leave Horace and Halt.

Halt!

He couldn't believe that he had forgotten, if Halt found the bronze oak leaf what was he going to think. Was he going to disown him as an apprentice?

"Horace," Will as he mounted Tug. "I have to go!" Will yelled as Tug took off at a gallop. Horace could only stare as Will disappeared in the distance, he shrugged his shoulders before he continued on his way.

They had actually past each other, so intent on the task ahead that they forgot to see anything other then that. So while Halt was searching the castle while Will made it to the cabin. He jumped off Tug before the horse could skid to a complete stop and stumbled in the empty cabin. Will sighed in relief as he hadn t run into Halt so far, but he celebrated too early as he stuck his hand under the pillow and came up empty.

The bronze oak leaf medallion was gone. And that could only mean that Halt got here before he did.

Halt would go to the castle first and inform the King of his betrayal before he brang a force of knight to come after him, and maybe even Horace would be forced to participate because Will knew that thins was one of the thing that went against all of the things that Horace believed in. But Halt would always put his duty first, especially above a lowly apprentice that had no family. Will didn't even have a last name; he was just a no-name kid from the ward.

Will clutched the empty air where the oak leaf would have been if he had never taken it off from around his neck, its rightful place if he hadn't been such a coward. He had made the biggest mistake he would ever make in his entire life, but he would make no more. He decided that he wasn't going to run away, at least like he had originally planed to. No, there was no way he would be able to live with the shame that he had done, the shame he had done Halt as his apprentice. He had shamed every one that he had ever known, but in ten minutes or so he couldn't shame anyone anymore because in that time he wouldn't exist any longer.

Will went out side and walked Tug to the stable out back before he took the saddle of and quickly brushed him down. Will gave himself a minute to pet Tug between the ears and gave him a few red apples. Tug all accepted this in stride, not bothering to wonder about the extra apples. Will gave him an extra long hug, "I'm sorry how I wrecked your reputation with all the other horse Tug, it wasn't really your choice to have me and I didn't mean for you to waste all of your energy saving my life in the years we've been together." Will let go and look Tug in his big brown eyes. "Look after Halt, okay?" Tug neighed and Will took that as an agreement.

He grabbed the rope from the saddle bag before he walked off to a tree near by. Wrapping the rope around his shoulder, Will climbed the tree like an expert monkey. Once he presumed himself high enough, he found himself a sturdy branch to tie one end of the rope around it. After that he tied a noose around his neck with the other end and shimmied his way out to the middle of the branch.

Will looked down at the ground below him, heights were always his thing. Never once had he ever froze up when he looked down from high above like so many others do. But now, as he glanced down at the ground below it seemed as though it was really higher then it actually was. All he had to do was slid forward and that would be the end of it, hopefully the fall would break his neck and it would be quick, instead of the rope blocking his air for several minutes before Death took a hand in things.

Will had never really gave a thought to how he would die; like many did, say that they wanted to go down in a blaze of glory. But hardly any went out the they had thought that they would when they were kids; it was something as simple as what you would be when you grow up. So Will never thought to think about the whole thing, to him it was just something that would happen when it happened. His body would be found by who ever happened across his path, and who ever would go to his funeral if they so chose to. It was as simple as that. So he could have died at the age of twelve or he could have died at the age of forty. But as the God's had so chose, he would die at the age of seventeen, and Halt, his mentor and friend would find his traitorous body hanging from the willow tree.

He gave a silent good-bye to anyone who would hear before he pushed himself from the branch and to the ground.

Abelard at the ground before him as Halt urged him to go faster. The Ranger had run into Horace and the knight had informed him that Will had gone back in the direction of his and Halt's cabin. Halt didn't waste anytime with pleasantries, much to Horace's confusion. Much like Will had, Halt jumped from Abe's saddle before the Ranger's horse could slide to a stop. He ran into the cabin unchecked, not worried in the least about looking silly, but every room was empty.

Halt exited the cabin, about to mount Abelard and look for Will else where when he heard the neigh from the stable. He rushed behind the cabin, and there was Tug, unsaddled and brushed down. So Will had to be here some where. He turned, about to leave when he saw moved in the corner of his eye. He turned that way, expecting to see a very, Halt didn't know. Maybe a Will that was finally pulling his leg. But instead he saw the very familiar outline of Will's body as the sun set, limp and unmoving as he hung swaying from the willow tree. Halt was frozen to the spot; there was no way that Will could have survived that.

All Halt could think was that he was never going to be able to take another apprentice ever again.

The End.

note: Sorry if Will was your favorite character, but he's mine too. For some screwed up reason, I love it when bad shit happens to my favorite characters. Please review!


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